Fastener-setting machine



June l2, i923. SSSG A. ElV HUDSON FAS TENER SETTING MACHINE Filed Aug` 1e, 1920 WVM/75a Patented .lune l2, i923.

NETE

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i ALBERT E. HUDSON, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FASTENER-SETTING MACHINE.

Application filed August 16, 1920.V Serial No. 403,674.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, ALBERT E. HUDSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Fastener-Setting` Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines yfor setting fasteners, and more particularly to machines of the type in which the work is fed automatically step by step. In those machines that feed the work the feeding mechanism is usually organized so that it may be regulated to vary the length of the feeding steps'and consequently the distance between successive fasteners, but excepting in machines for special purposes a change in the regulation can only be made manually. Nevertheless it is desirable for some special kinds of work to vary the spacing of the fasteners automatically. This has been done heretofore by machines organized to set a series of fasteners at gradually increasing or decreasing intervals, but not otherwise.

A demand has recently arisen for. a fastener-setting machine capable of using long and short feeding steps alternately, such demand coming from manufacturers of brassieres, but heretofore no machine has been organized to meet this demand. Accordingly an objectof the present invention is to provide a fastener-setting machine coinprising regulatable work-feeding mechanism and automatic means for regulating said mechanism so as to produce two lengths of feeding steps alternately.

Another object of the invention is to provide for varying the length of one or both feeding steps to meet varying conditions. This may be done, according to the present invention, so as to produce any one of three different results, to wit` varying the length of the longer or the shorter step without varying the length of the other step, varying the length of both steps without varying the diierence between their respective lengths, or varying the length of both steps and also varying the difference between their respective lengths. A feature of the invention, therefore, consists in automatic mechdesired variations in spacing may be brought about. A machine embodying the invention is hereinafter described and is illustrated by the vaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a perspective View partly in section, the fastener-supplying mechanism being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in sec-' tion including a work-support, an article of work thereon, and the work-feeding and fastener-setting instrumentalities in the act of clenching a fastener;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the work as having been fed a relatively short distance from the first position and n the setting tools as having set another fastener at a corresponding distance from the first fastener;

Fig. 4 is a view similar toV Figs. 2 and 3 excepting that the work is shown as having executed a second feeding step longer than the first, the setting tools being in the act of setting a third lfastener at a relatively great distance from the second fastener;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a fragment of work in which a series of fasteners are set according to the evolution represented by Figs. 2, 3 and 4, that is, with alternate long and short intervals between successive fasteners; and

Fig. 6 is a detail of construction including adjustable and resilient connections by which the feeding mechanism is .regulated automatically. i,

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the same general type as that illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent 603,023, granted April 26, 1898 on an application of Seymour Field,

and since the said patent will be sufficient tov show certain parts of the machine not completely described herein, no attempt has been made to provide a complete showing of the machine on the accompanying drawings.

The machine frame 10 is provided with a table or work-support 11 along which the work is fed automatically as the fasteners y may pass.

`Vthe vdirection of feeding` movement. y present :instance theworlr is fed' from right" arevinserted and clenched. For the partic- `ular putp'os'e. liereinbefore mentiei'iedg' that is,`

which-51,21.; Strip- 14; Fig; 6) comprising;V super.

posed layers of sheet material such as fabric work-supportby screws l5( and'is formed so as to provide for adjustment transversely of In the tof-left i y f fir the manufacture I ceive laces by which the garment may be tightcned about'thetbodyl'as* in a corset',y andac-V corblingl'yvthel mach'inei'chosen for illustrat-v,l

ingftheinventionis provided with eyelet-f, setting4 mechanism including; an eyelet-in-l sertingf tool"` 16, andi ablenching" tool 17.;

machine, excepting' the automatic regulating mechanism' hereinafter described, embody.

well-knownconstruction the lgeneral organizationwill be described; The inserting tool 164 isioairediby a vertically movable'plun-l`l l vger 18'? and i's'operated i by afcain 19y carried" by' ashfaft'Q l`The"cain cooperates with a roll 2l' ycarried by thep-lunigerf Althoughtliedrawings do' "not illustrate 'any meansl for'sapplying` eyelets" it 'may be understood i( .that aY 1`"`ace'\'vay is'V vprovided for that purpose and that5 itis operated in a well-km'iwn'man5` low the work table, and that this'ftool carries uit-eyeit ritmi-dipana inserts aint@ a hoi@ oftli'e" clenchinglocality andare shifted lat-n Vandpunch-bloc'l 23' which stand at one side erallyfa'way from said'l locality after each punching' operation so as to enablcthc pilot Qlof' th'clenching'tool to enter tliepunched lileprep'afratory tofeeding'tho ywork to they Vnext eyele't're'cefivi'npTv position.

The punch iscarried'- lever 25 the fulcrum pin of which lis indicated at 26.` 1Ther punch is meveduipA and downy by a' caniY 27 throufs'h the agency of suitableconnections including" I avertically movable yoke 28lan'dla swiv'eled cross-bar 29 carried thereby and` extending" through a horizontal opnin'g() i'n the punch lever.' These conxnectiens enable the punch' 'le'if'eryto sfwifngg horizontallyrelatively to the'V v y bar QQasform'erl'yL' The punch-block andthe y vpivet"Illeidbe 26 are lboth Carried by a. sub` stanti'alllyhorizontal bar" 3 1 which, as for# is t'o turnA about a 'vertical` aX'fsj s'ubsta'ntially' midway between the punchlblcl'andsaid' pivot so as" to providev4 forflaiteral` moyeinent'iof the "punch and .toith'e clen'c'hing" locality: a'nd about to form This guide is clamped?` tothe'.A

A ofbrassierestwoco-'nrpanion rows-'off eyelets are providedv to re-l ythe punch lever 'EQfextends into this head' vlfimiglee a new hole in the work preparatory to a relatively'. short feeding' step.l Fig.' 3,' however,

' shows the punch and punch-block further to the right andl about to form a hole ata' relal tively great distance from theV punching.. lo-

calitypreparatory to relativelylongV feeding' step. The punch and punclrblocliflare automatically shifted back and forth from the 'position shown by Fig. 2 to that shown by Fig. 3 .sofas to forrnthe holes alternately at a relatively short and a relatively long distance from the eyelet being" clenched,

' the shifting of the punchingL devices'to either one of Saidpositions occurring'in eachaltern nate cycle ofthe setting-fmechanisml rllhe clcnchinnj tool 17 is carried, asformerl'y,'by a lever`f32 the fulcrurn of which is horizontal and is partly shown at'B'S'in Fig.

' l. This lever is mounted in a frame' 1 having'af vertical stem (not shown) bearing` vin the frame'l() andl constituting thefulcrui'n Although'gthese tools andy other partsof the about whichlhe punch and puncliiblock' are" turnedI ae her'cinbefore explained. For a more complete; showing" see the `aforesaid Patent 6035023. rEhe up vand down motions ofthe'f'clenching tool are" received from a cam- (not shown) atthe rear end' ofthe shaft 20,v said cam serving to reciprocate/a vert-i'- cal'plunger having` an-open rectangular head 36' aty it'supp'e'r end. The'rear endof and1 is operatively connected vthereto `by suitf abi-'e balla-nd-socletV connections indicated' as a whole at These connections are `capable of swinging; laterally in thel head; 3d while In'aint'aininp;l positive operating connection'between the head and-'the lever at all times in well-knownmanner. v

"Before describing the details of'thefautomatic mechanism vby' which' the' long and short feeding steps are produced alternately los a b'riefexplanation ofthe operation of the machine" asithus far described will i facilitate anunders/banding'. While the' setting tools are" clenching` an eyelet, as shown byv Fig. 2, the punch descends to the punch-block, tlierebyfforr'ning the next eyelet-receiving` hole. The punch is" then immediately lifted out of the work and is shifted to theright so' as vto enable the clenching tool to' take' its place preparatory Ato feeding 'the work. A presser foot (not shown) bears at this time on the work tov prevent it' fro'in slip-y pi'rig, and'y the setting4 tools are retracted fr'o'nreach other, the lower t'ool to take-1another eyeletv from the ra'cew'ay andthe upper tool to Inove to its preliminary position .for feeding. The upper tool therefore movesto the 'rigliuntil'it iSUin I 'egistlation' with the previously'punched hole and then descends sol as to insert`its pilot 24 through thehole;

, The upper toolE then moves'from lright to left,v 4tl'iereby feedi'xrgl the work and coming tol rest when' it is again in registration with the lower `tool?. The two setting` tools then cooperate to set the neXt fastener, and while so doing the punch takes a new position preparatory to punching the nent hole.

The mechanism for moving the lever 32 laterally to feed the work is also similar to that shown and described in the aforesaid patent, .and comprises a grooved cam 38, an arm 39 cooperating therewith, a vertical rockshaft. 40 connecting the arm 39 -with an arm 4l, a link 42, and a horizontally movable member 43 arranged to swing about the plunger 35 and connected tothe link so as tob be oscillated thereby. A block 44 is adjustably arranged in a radial slot formed in the member 3 and carries a superposed plate 45 with which it is connected by a pivot member 46. The plate 45 has tongue-and-slot connection with the feed frame 34 in such manner that the amplitude of feeding motion may be increased by shifting the pivot 46 toward the front of the machine and decreased by shifting it toward the rear. The plate 45 is provided with a curved slot 47 which is occupied Aby a sliding block 48, the latter having swiveled connection with the rear end of the bar 3l by which the punch is shifted laterally.

A feed-regulator or controller 50 is arranged to swing about the plunger 35 to increase and decrease the length of the feeding step, the operating connection between this controller and the sliding block 44 being provided by a link 51@ rlhe regulator 50 plays over a stationary plate 52 having any desired number of holes 53 for the reception of a stop-pin 54. By shifting this pin from one hole to another one limit of movement of the controller may be determined with minute accuracy The features of the feed regulator mechanism as thus far described are well-known but the automatic mechanism now about to be described embodies novel features and improvements forming the subject-matter of the present invention in conjunction with what has already been described.

The stud 55 connectingthe controller 50 and the link 5l serves also as a connection with a link comprising two pivotally connected members 56 and 57. rlhese members are connected by a pivot pin 58. The member 57, which is in the form of a rod, extends loosely through a block 60, and is provided with a screw-thread to take nuts 61 and nuts 62. These nuts may be adjusted to various positions so that there will be more or less lost motion between the rod and the swiveled block, as may be required, or they may be adjusted so as to take@ up all lost motion. It is preferable, however, for some purposes to interpose a' compression spring 63 as a cushioning medium between the block and the nuts 62. but this may be4 omitted without defeating the purpose of the invention i The block 60 is provided with a stem 64 which is arranged to turn in a bearing in the upper end of an operating lever 65. The

lower end of the lever is arranged upon a fulcrum stud 66, and a cam roll 67 carried by the lever occupies a grooved cam 68 mounted upon a stud-shaft 69. rlhis stud-shaft is xed in a bracket 70 bolted to the main frame 10. A gear 7l is fastened to thecam 68 and is arranged to be driven by a gear 72 carried by the shaft 20. lWhen it is desired to produce alternate long and short feeding steps consistent with the arrangement of the eyelets shown by Fig. 6 the ratio of the gears 72 and7l will be as l to 2, thereby causing the cam 68 to rotate at onehalf the speed of the shaft 20. This gear ratio may, of course, be varied to produce a dierent grouping of the fasteners. The effect of the cam 68 is to shift the controller 50 toward the rear during one cycle of the fastener-setting mechanism and to shift it toward the front during the next cycle. each alternate cycle being characterized by a short feeding step while the other cycles are characterized by a long feeding step. The length of the steps may be varied in different ways. For example, the fulcrum stud 66 of the cam lever 65 is adjustable'up and down so as to increase or decrease the distance traveled by the upper end of the lever. For this purpose the lower end of the lever is provided with a radial slot 73 through which the stud 66 entends, the stud being adjustably secured to a bracket or other fixture 74 which is provided with a slot corresponding to that mentioned. This adjustment is convenient for producing rel atively great changes in the amplitude of feeding motion, but for relatively fine adjustment after the desired amplitude of motion has 'been approximated it would be more convenient to turn the nuts 6l and 62 so as to afford lost motion as hereinbefore explained.

In case the aforesaid adjustments produce a short feeding step that is too short the stop pin 54 may be used to arrest the con troller while the cam lever is executing its backward stroke without affecting the length of the longer step. lVhen the pin 54 is used it would arrest adjusting motion in one direction only, and in this case` excess motion of the operating lever would be spent in compressing the 'spring 63. According to the arrangement shown the pin is arranged to determine the length of the shorter step, but if it were desired to use it to determine the length of the longer step it would be placed in front of the controller 50 instead of behind it and the cushioning spring 63 would be placedr between the swiveled block 60 and the nuts 6l instead ofremainingbetween the block andthe nuts 62.

lilith. these three adjusting devices the machine, may be adjusted to change the length of the longer kfeeding step without altering the 'lengthof theshorter step, or,- itmay be adjusted to change the lengthvof the step without altering thelength, longer step. lt can also be made' to the length of both, the longer andY of the dieser shorter steps equally or unequally as desired, thus affording all. the v vpossiblev changes that would be desired and affording line increments of adjustment in every respect.

Having thus described my invention., what l claim as new and desire to securer by Let f ters Patent of the UnitedA Statesisz fastener setting ing automatic fastener-setting mechanismy including a tool foroperating on the fas-; teners, regulatable work-feeding mechanismy ofy which said tool isan element,land auto.- matic means constructed and arranged to regulate said work-feeding mechanism periodically to producealtcriiate long and short spacing of successive fasteners.

3. A fastener-setting machine comprising mechanism, regulatable work-feeding mechanism arranged to feed lmatie means constructed and arranged to an article of work step by step to successive fastener-receiving positions and adapted to vary the length of the feeding steps so as to vary the spacing of fasteners, and auto'- regulate the work-feeding mechanism once for each cycle of the feeding operation so as to produce two lengths of feeding steps al ternately.

4;. A fastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism, rcgiilatable work-feeding mechanism adapted to vary the length of` the feeding steps, and automatic means constructed and arranged to regulate the work-feeding mechanism after eachl cycle of the fastener-setting mechanism to effect alternately long and short spacing of the fasteners, said regulating means being adjustable to vary the difference. between the long and short space intervals.

5. A fastener-setting machine' comprising a stationary work-table, fastener-setting mechanism, regulatable work-feeding mechanism adapted to feed flatfwork along said Work-table, and automatic means constructed and arranged to regulate the workf yfeeding'mechanism periodically to produce alternate long and short spaces between successive fasteners, said regulating means beshorterl mme@ ing adjustalole tovary the lengthy of said.

spaces.

6. A fastener-setting rmachine comprising regulat able .acontroller movable in one direction to increase and in the opposite direction to decrease the length of step, and mechanism constructed and arranged toi'eciprocate said controller so to produce two lengths of feeding steps alternately.

7. Afastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism, i'egtrlatable work-feeding mechanism adapted to 'varyI the length of the feeding steps and including a controller movable in one direction tofin- Acrease and in the opposite direction to decrease the length of step, and mechanism constructed and arranged to reciprocate said controller so' as to produce twoylengths of feeding steps alternately,` the latter saidV mechanismbeing adjustable to vary the amplitude of regulating motion imparted, to said controller.v

8. A fastener-setting machine kcomprising fastener-setting mechanism, regulatable work-feeding mechanism adapted to vary the length of the feeding steps and includ-` ing a controller ymovable vin one direction tofincrease and inthe opposite direction yto y decrease the length ofstep, and mechanism constructed and arranged to reciprocate said controller so as 'to produce two lengths of feeding stepsr alternately, the latter said mechanism being adjustable. to vary both limits of regulating movement of saidy controller. i

9. A fastener-setting machine comprising. yfastener-set-tiiig mechanism, regulatable work-feeding mechanism adapted to vary the length of the feeding steps and including a controller movable in one direction to increase andv yin the opposite direction tov decrease the length of step, mechanism constructed and arranged to reciprocate the controller so as to produce two lengths of feeds ingsteps alternately, the latter said mechanism being resilient 4with respect to one direction of regulating motion, and adjust-L able means arranged to limitthe movement of lthe controller .in said direction.

10. A fastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism, regulatable worlefeeding mechanism adapted to vary the length of the feeding steps andinclud-i'ng a controller movable in one direction to..iii-` crease and in the opposite direction to crease the length of step, and mechanism constructed and arranged toreciprocate said.

controller so as to produce two lengths of feeding steps alternately, the latter said -mechanismincluding a reciprocatory .actuator, and alink and adjustable couplings ai',-` ranged to transmit motion fromA said actu,

ator to the controller, said couplings being adjustable to provide for lost motion between the actua-tor and the controller.

1l. A fastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism, regulatable work-feeding mechanism adapted to vary the length of the feeding steps and including a controller movable in one direction to increase and in the opposite direction to decrease the length of step, and mechanism constructed and arranged to reciprocate said controller so as to produce two lengths of feeding steps alternately, the latter said mechanism including a reciprocatory actuator, resilient means arranged to transmit regulating motion from said actuator to the controller, and adjustable means arranged to limit the regulating movement of the controller.

12. A fastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism, regulatable work-feeding mechanism adapted to vary the length of the feeding steps and including a controller movable in one direction to increase and in the opposite direction to decrease the leno'th of step, and mechanism constructed and arranged to reciprocate said controller so as to produce two'lengths of feeding steps alternately, the latter'l said mechanism including a lever, a cam arranged to oscillate the lever, means arranged to transmit regulating motion from the lever to the controller, and an adjustable fulcrum member serving said lever so as to vary its amplitude of angular motion.

13. A fastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism including a clenching tool, regulatable work-punching mechanism adapted to punch a hole in the work at various distances from the setting locality, automatic mechanism constructed and arranged to regulate the punching mechanism so that the holes will be punched at different distances from the setting locality, and mechanism arranged to move said clenching tool to feed the work so as to transfer the punched hole from the punching locality to the setting locality.

14.-. A fastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism including a work-feeding and fastener-setting tool, mechanism arranged to punch a hole in the work at various distances from the setting locality, regulatable mechanism arranged to operate said tool so as to feed the work by engagement with the edge of the punched hole, and automatic mechanism constructed and arranged to regulate the punching mechanism and the feeding mechanism so that the spacing of the punched holes and the feeding steps will be alternately long `and short.

l5. A fastener-setting machine comprising fastener-setting mechanism, regulatable work-feeding mechanism, automatic mechanism constructed and arranged to regulate 'the feeding mechanism so as to produce two lengths of feeding steps alternately, regulatable mechanism for punching a hole in the worlr to receive the fastener, and means connecting said automatic regulating mechanism with said punching mechanism so that the latter will be automatically controlled to vary the spacing of the punched holes in accordance with the length of the feeding steps.

16. A fastener-setting machine comprising punching mechanism including a tool for punching a hole in the work, a fastenersetting tool arranged to be laterally movable to feed the work to transfer the punched hole from the punching locality to the fastener-setting locality, regulatable mechanism arranged to impart feeding movement to said feeding tool, and means arranged to regulate said feeding mechanism automatically to vary the length of the feeding movements.

17. A machine for operatingy on shoes, comprising mechanism including a tool arranged to function repeatedly to perform a series of operations on the shoe, said tool being laterally movable to feed the work so as to determine the points at which said operations shall be performed, regulatable mechanism arranged to impart feeding movement to said tool, and mechanism operable automatically to regulate said feeding mechanism to produce alternate long and short spaces between successive points in the work at which said operations are. performed.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT E. HUDSON. 

